Seeking Medical Advice

The missing young women returned home, and Baihe Village was immediately thrown into a stir. Villagers ran to spread the news, and before long, they had all gathered around, some identifying their daughters and others finding their kin, a scene of mingled grief and joy.

"Many thanks to the young hero and the young heroine for your life-saving grace. Please, allow our whole family to pay our respects..."

"Please, both of you, come to our humble home and take the seat of honor so we may properly thank you..."

Gao Xu and Lin Yueru naturally received the gratitude of the crowd. The villagers' enthusiasm quickly brightened the mood of the previously gloomy Lin Yueru. She responded with a smile, handling the social interaction with such grace that there was no trace left of the headstrong young lady she had been before.

Gao Xu, meanwhile, scanned the crowd for Doctor Han. Since the zombie incident in Heishui Town had not yet occurred, Doctor Han, as the village chief, should be present.

Sure enough, a spirited, ruddy-faced old man was watching the scene with a smile, accompanied by a woman of clear and elegant features.

This father and daughter must be Doctor Han and Han Mengci. Carrying Su Mei, Gao Xu strode toward them.

The moment the unconscious little Su Mei caught Han Mengci's eye, a look of compassion and heartache crossed her face. Without waiting for Gao Xu to make a request, she took Su Mei from him and walked quickly toward their home.

Doctor Han smiled apologetically at Gao Xu: "Young hero, pray do not take offense. My daughter is a bit impetuous; she set off in such a hurry without even asking, which was truly a breach of etiquette!"

Gao Xu waved his hands repeatedly: "This Humble One came on this journey specifically to seek medical aid. Miss Han possesses a benevolent heart, so I am overjoyed rather than offended. How could I possibly blame her?"

After speaking, he cupped his hands in a bow and said solemnly: "I have long heard of Village Chief Han's superb medical skills and your reputation as a Doctor Immortal. I hope you can use your miraculous hands to save her life. I leave her in your care!"

Doctor Han had already formed a favorable impression of Gao Xu for rescuing the girls from the monsters and reuniting them with their families. Now, seeing his humility and sincerity, he had even less reason to refuse.

Soon, the group gathered in the main hall of Doctor Han's home...

"Hmm, her internal organs have suffered severe trauma. This is very difficult to treat!" Han Mengci, being dexterous, had already treated the external wounds, but the damage left by the sword qi was clearly beyond her capabilities. As Doctor Han checked Su Mei's pulse, his brows furrowed tightly, and he muttered to himself, causing Lin Yueru's heart to leap into her throat.

Gao Xu, however, felt a slight sense of relief. Difficult was far better than hopeless. As long as Doctor Han had the ability to treat Su Mei, it was a cause for celebration!

Because, upon completing the mission to escort the girls, the emblem had already sent a notification: Gao Xu had at most 24 hours of stay remaining. If Doctor Han were unable to treat her, he would have no choice but to rely on Lin Yueru to find another physician.

But if that happened, this rare opportunity to increase her favorability would slip through his fingers, which was certainly not what Gao Xu wanted.

Since the zombie incident had not yet occurred, Doctor Han's family was relatively free. With the assistance of Han Mengci and a young boy with double buns named A-Bao, Doctor Han quickly finished examining Su Mei. After a moment of contemplation, he wrote out a prescription and handed it to Gao Xu.

"Snow Lotus Seeds, Smilax, Curculigo, Poria, Centella, Black Cyathea... these medicinal herbs are quite precious, but that's nothing to worry about. Eh? What are these Ghost Yin Flower, Jade Buddha Stem, and Ink Profound Sap? I've never even heard of them!" Lin Yueru leaned in, reading the prescription and asking curiously.

Doctor Han smiled slightly: "These three items can be considered local specialties, so it is no wonder the young lady does not recognize them..."

Hearing this, Gao Xu's heart sank slightly. Sure enough, Doctor Han continued: "The Ghost Yin Flower is a medicinal herb from Ghost Yin Mountain to the southwest, named after the mountain itself. The Jade Buddha Stem is produced in the Jade Buddha Temple to the north, carefully tended by high monks. The Ink Profound Sap is made from the river water in Heishui Town to the east. These three herbs were not originally scarce in the village, but in recent years, Ghost Yin Mountain has been occupied by bandits, the new abbot of the Jade Buddha Temple is no longer willing to provide the Jade Buddha Stem, and for some reason, the river water in Heishui Town has also become abnormal. That is why I must trouble the young hero to search for them. If you can gather these herbs and refine my family's secret medicine, the Soul Returning Powder, this little girl's injuries should be of no concern!"

Gao Xu clutched the prescription, thanked Doctor Han, and stepped outside. He gazed at the sunset glow on the horizon, silent and wordless.

"What? Are you stumped by such a small matter?" Lin Yueru paced behind him and asked with a grin, clearly enjoying seeing Gao Xu at a loss.

Seeing that Gao Xu remained silent with a grim face, Lin Yueru rolled her eyes and said, "Oh, don't tell me you're worried about those precious herbs like the Snow Lotus Seeds? Hmph, with this young lady here, wouldn't they be easy to obtain?"

"Miss Lin, you misunderstand," Gao Xu shook his head. "The Snow Lotus Seeds and Curculigo are indeed valuable, but the real difficulty lies in those three specialties. Do you know that the three places Doctor Han mentioned are not pleasant destinations? If I am not mistaken, they are even more dangerous than the Hidden Dragon Cave!"

"What?! Could it be that there are monsters there too? Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Lin Yueru raised her willow-leaf brows. Far from showing fear, she became excited. Although Lin Tiannan did not keep her locked up in the Lin Family Fort all day, he had never taken her on a real monster-hunting expedition. She had often complained about this in the past, but with Gao Xu's appearance, she had gained much experience, and such adventures were simply too thrilling!

Looking at the radiant Lin Yueru, a hint of a smile flashed in the depths of Gao Xu's eyes. He had intentionally piqued the interest of this young miss.

Ghost Yin Mountain, Jade Buddha Temple, and Heishui Town all had plotlines and battles in the game, so Gao Xu did not believe the upcoming search for medicine would be smooth sailing. He had less than a day left and could not handle too many variables, so for the sake of caution, he needed to borrow Lin Yueru's strength.

With motivation, Lin Yueru was full of energy. Without waiting for Gao Xu to suggest it, she hurried toward the village entrance. A moment later, she returned with a tall, thin disciple of the Lin family, having him copy the rest of the prescription so he could rush back to the Lin Family Fort to retrieve them.

"This is my senior brother, Xiao Jun. Every time I go out, Father sends him to protect me—and hmph, to keep an eye on me, fearing I'll cause trouble or bully people!" Before leaving, Lin Yueru did not forget to instruct this long-suffering senior brother: "This time I am not messing around; I am saving a life! You must make that clear to Father!"

Xiao Jun left with a bitter smile. Lin Yueru watched his retreating figure triumphantly, her face blooming like a flower as she cheered: "Finally, no tail following me! Freedom at last!"

"For those who haven't experienced it, you aren't allowed to laugh at me!" Gao Xu looked at Lin Yueru with a smile. She felt a bit embarrassed, bit her lip, and pouted: "Now, where are we going? Where are the strongest monsters?"

Gao Xu turned and pointed to the southwest. There... lay the direction of Ghost Yin Mountain.